The Welsh outfit were keen for Reid to succeed Paulo Sousa, who has since taken up the managerial reins at Championship rivals Leicester City.

"I'm ambitious, I'm like anybody else," Reid said.

I've got to continue bringing young players through. I'm happy to do that, I love doing that

Hamilton manager Billy Reid

"I would like to manage at the highest level possible. I shouldn't be in the game if I don't want to do that.

"I know plenty about Swansea. I took a group of kids down there two seasons ago to play at the Liberty Stadium. It's fantastic, they've got passionate fans, 14,000-15,000 every week.

"I was thrilled that a club like that asked for permission to speak to me.

"I wanted to show a bit of loyalty to the players I had signed here. Things are in place next season for us to hopefully have a successful season.

"I'm not going to make any predictions of where we're going to finish, it would be wrong to do that. But we've got a belief in what we're doing at the club. The infrastructure, in terms of the whole youth facility, is there for everybody to see.

"I've got to continue bringing young players through. I'm happy to do that. I love doing that and there's no reason why we can't be a success next season."

Reid, 46, guided Accies to a seventh-place finish in the Scottish Premier League last season.

The former Clyde boss moved to Hamilton in 2005 and guided them to the First Division title in his third campaign.

"In the five years I've been here, every season we've made huge progress," he said. "It'd be nice to do that next season.

"We're a strong group, we've bonded really, really well. The new players coming into the club will make us stronger again.

"It's nice to think that we could be a top-six club. Since I've come here, I've not made any predictions. I realise the size of the club we're at.

"When you're at a club like Hamilton Accies, you've got to be lucky in terms of injuries. We've got to keep key players fit and if we do that then we can be a success next season."

Reid had earlier stated on the club's website that his relationship with Accies chairman Ronnie MacDonald was the overriding factor in his decision to stay.

"I have a superb working relationship with our chairman, Ronnie MacDonald, who gave me my first opportunity in management at Broadwood and that is my ultimate reason for staying," he said.

Sousa took Swansea to the brink of the Championship play-offs in his first and only season in charge.

However, the former QPR boss joined Leicester in July to succeed Nigel Pearson after leaving the Liberty Stadium by mutual consent.

Sheffield United have twice rejected an approach by Swansea to discuss their managerial vacancy with Blades coach Gary Speed.

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